Customer Reviews

Herbie Archives Volume 1

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Herbie is a parody of a superhero -- fat, emotionless, addicted to lollipops -- but with amazing powers derived from his lollipops -- flies (but by walking on air), travels back in time (in a grandfather clock), talks to animals (who all know him), indestructible, and on an on. His speech lacks pronouns and articles, but his catchphrase is "You want I should bop you with this here lollipop?" Although famous throughout history, Herbie's powers are not known by his parents. Herbie's father, Pincus Popnecker, is an ambitious but unsuccessful businessman who is dismayed by his lot of having a "little fat nothing" of a son. A recurring theme in Herbie comics is how Herbie helps his father overcome one bad business venture after another, always without the knowledge of his parents. There are many recurring sight gags and phrases.

Important advice to new readers: Instead of starting the Herbie Archives with the first story on page 11, I suggest that new readers should start with "Herbie and the Sneddiger's Salad Oil" on page 45 and read forward from there. You can return to the formative stories later.

Publication Notes: The Dark Horse volume features cover art where Herbie appears, as well as some ads that ran in Herbie and other ACG comics (such as Forbidden Worlds, Unknown Worlds, and Adventures Into the Unknown). The pages appear to be cleaned up scans of the original comics, replicating the colors used. The pages are about the size of the original comics. There is an article at the front and biographies at the back by Scott Shaw, all worthwhile, but unfortunately printed black on red and produce maximum eye strain.

You can go on ebay, & find the original comics reprinted in this book,& pay at least 1,000 in collectable shape,or you can buy this book,on good white paper,with bright coloring,for less then 1/20 of that price! And make no mistake,if you want quality top notch gut busting humer,then nothing can beat the adventures of herbie,the fat fury!Created way back in 1958, and lasting untill early 1967, this character has an EXTREAMLY loyal,devoted fan following!Nothing like herbie had never seen print,before or since!This is a collection, that has LONG been desired by herbie fans, the beginning of the complete reprinting of herbie,in color.At best,only about 3 issues worth of stories have seen color reprinting,over the past 42 years.In itself, I predect this book will one day, be a much sought after collection.It's a product of a bygone era,when America was'nt a tenth as uptight. Only the 1950's could have given birth to such a character,with such outragous stories.IF your hung up on political correctness, then this isn't the book for you, because Herbie was'nt. IF your hung up on realism,this is'nt for you either. this,is a character and book,on a level with jack Cole's plastic man. I have EVERY single original apperence,& I still had to have a copy of this book!

The only thing I can add that was not mentioned by the other reviewers, is: you don't buy all three volumes, Herbie's gonna bop you with this here lollipop.

I forgot how special these books were when I was young. I used to buy them and have a good laugh.Now if you like your humor PC, don't bother with Herbie. Its a slap at anything and anybody and all in good fun.Maybe for some it might seem a tad dated but, their the ones who are too serious and forget to try a time traveler lollipop before sitting down to bust a gut.
Great art, funny stories and a wonderful savings over individual issues. It's a given to check Herbie out !!!!